Train crash motorist 'hid being gay'

A man who died when a high-speed train smashed into his car on a level crossing was “tormented” by his closet homosexuality but did not appear to be suicidal, an inquest jury has been told.

The Paddington to Plymouth express, travelling at almost 100mph, struck the car at Ufton Nervet, Berkshire, in November 2004, causing a “catastrophic derailment”.

One hundred and thirty eight passengers were injured, 18 seriously, as carriages overturned and slid down an embankment.

Brian Drysdale, a 48-year-old chef, died inside his Mazda car, which was prone to stalling, the inquest heard.

The train driver and five passengers, including two children, also perished.

A jury at Slough Coroners Court, Berks, heard evidence about Mr Drysdale’s homosexuality and was told that he was a heavy drinker and used soft drugs. He also had financial problems.

On the day of his death he left work complaining of feeling unwell. The crash occurred a short while later.

Andy Conway-Horbury, a former boyfriend, said that he had a homosexual relationship with Mr Drysdale in the late 1970s which they had kept a secret.

“He said he couldn’t come to terms with his sexuality and was, in his view, tormented by it,” Mr Conway-Horbury said in a statement.

Mr Drysdale’s brother Ronald said that he had not discovered that his brother was homosexual until after his death, although he suspected it.

“I would have liked Brian to have discussed that he was gay and I gave him opportunities to talk to me but he never did.”

Mr Drysdale had confided in his parents that he was gay.

However, neither Mr Drysdale’s brother nor family and close his friends thought he was in a frame of mind to take his own life and several spoke of the poor mechanical condition of his car.

His brother said he had travelled in the Mazda and it had stalled three times.

"Brian had a history of purchasing second-hand cars that to me didn’t seem fit to be on the road. This particular car he’d paid just a few hundred pounds for.”

He said the driver’s door stuck and was difficult to open. He said he felt sure he would have detected if Brian had been suffering from any problems and did not believe he was depressed.

Peter Bedford, the Berkshire coroner, asked him if Mr Drysdale had mentioned any medical tests he had taken or was awaiting any results.

His brother replied “no sir.”

Mr Drysdale’s mother Henrietta, in a statement, said her son spoke to her by phone on the day of the crash.

She said he chatted about football - he was a keen Liverpool fan - and seemed happy and preparing to move to new accommodation.

He said he would ring her later in the week. Lee Hamerston, a close friend of Mr Drysdale, said in a statement that he felt that his biggest problem was the fact that he kept his sexuality secret.

"I always suspected that he was gay and I always thought that Brian’s biggest problem and the reason for him being quite reserved and unhappy was because he would not come out,” he said.

But he added: “If Brian did deliberately end his life, I really do not know why. He was never the sort of person to hurt anyone.”

He described Mr Drysdale’s Mazda car as being impossible for anyone else to drive. Keith Hopkins, in a statement, said Mr Drysdale was about to move into a flat with him and had already paid £564 for the deposit and first month’s rent.

The court heard that on the day of the crash arrived for work at Wokefield Park Hotel in Mortimer, but left complaining of feeling unwell.

He appeared in a bad mood and said he had something to sort out. He said he would be back, but never returned. The Inquest Continues.